Amine and amine oxide surfactants for controlling herbicide spray drift

Abstract

Spray drift during the application of an aqueous mixture of glyphosate and an auxinic herbicide is reduced by incorporating certain tertiary amine or tertiary amine oxide surfactants into the aqueous solution or mixture to be sprayed.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A method to reduce spray drift during the application of an aqueous herbicidal spray mixture containing glyphosate and an auxinic herbicide comprising incorporating into the aqueous herbicidal spray mixture from about 0.02 to about 2 weight percent of one of a tertiary amine surfactant of the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1  represents a straight or branched chain (C 12 -C 18 ) alkyl and R 2  and R 3  independently represent a straight or branched chain (C 1 -C 18 ) alkyl, 
       
       or a tertiary amine oxide surfactant of the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 4  is a straight or branched chain (C 10 -C 18 ) alkyl or an alkyletherpropyl or alkylamidopropyl of the formula: 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           wherein R 7  is a straight or branched chain (C 10 -C 18 ) alkyl, and 
         
         R 5  and R 6  independently are straight or branched chain (C 1 -C 18 ) alkyl or ethoxylates or propoxylates of the formula: 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           wherein n is an integer from 1 to 20, 
         
       
       or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is a water soluble salt of 2,4-D, a water soluble salt of triclopyr, a water soluble salt of dicamba, or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is a water soluble salt of 2,4-D. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt or 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt and the glyphosate is glyphosate dimethyl ammonium salt or glyphosate isopropyl ammonium salt. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the tertiary amine oxide surfactant is lauryldimethylamine oxide. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt or 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt, the glyphosate is glyphosate dimethyl ammonium salt or glyphosate isopropyl ammonium salt, and the tertiary amine oxide surfactant is a lauryldimethylamine oxide. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt, the glyphosate is glyphosate dimethyl ammonium salt, and the tertiary amine oxide surfactant is a lauryldimethylamine oxide. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is a water soluble salt of 2,4-D and the weight ratio of the water soluble 2,4-D salt to the glyphosate salt is from about 2.3:1 to about 1:2.3. 
     
     
         11 . An aqueous concentrate composition comprising from about 5 to about 40 weight percent of a water soluble salt of at least one auxinic herbicide, about 5 to about 40 weight percent of a water soluble salt of glyphosate, and from about 1 to about 20 weight percent of at least one of a tertiary amine or a tertiary amine oxide surfactant. 
     
     
         12 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 11 , wherein the tertiary amine or tertiary amine oxide surfactant comprises a tertiary amine or tertiary amine oxide surfactant of the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 1  represents a straight or branched chain (C 12 -C 18 ) alkyl and R 2  and R 3  independently represent a straight or branched chain (C 1 -C 18 ) alkyl, 
       
       or a tertiary amine oxide surfactant of the formula: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein R 4  is a straight or branched chain (C 10 -C 18 ) alkyl or an alkyletherpropyl or alkylamidopropyl of the formula: 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           wherein R 7  is a straight or branched chain (C 10 -C 18 ) alkyl, and 
         
         R 5  and R 6  independently are straight or branched chain (C 1 -C 18 ) alkyl or ethoxylates or propoxylates of the formula: 
       
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         
           wherein n is an integer from 1 to 20, 
         
       
       or mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         13 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 11 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is a water soluble salt of 2,4-D. 
     
     
         14 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 11 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt. 
     
     
         15 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 11 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt. 
     
     
         16 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 11 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt or 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt and the glyphosate is glyphosate dimethyl ammonium salt or glyphosate isopropyl ammonium salt. 
     
     
         17 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 11 , wherein the tertiary amine oxide surfactant is lauryldimethylamine oxide. 
     
     
         18 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 11 , wherein the tertiary amine oxide surfactant comprises from about 0.02 to about 2 weight percent of a final spray mixture. 
     
     
         19 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 11 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt or 2,4-D dimethyl ammonium salt, the glyphosate is glyphosate dimethyl ammonium salt or glyphosate isopropyl ammonium salt, and the tertiary amine oxide surfactant is a lauryldimethylamine oxide. 
     
     
         20 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 11 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is 2,4-D choline salt, the glyphosate is glyphosate dimethyl ammonium salt, and the tertiary amine oxide surfactant is a lauryldimethylamine oxide. 
     
     
         21 . The aqueous concentrate composition of  claim 11 , wherein the auxinic herbicide is a salt of 2,4-D and the weight ratio of the 2,4-D salt to the glyphosate salt is from about 2.3:1 to about 1:2.3.